Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life,…

1. Secret sins will cause the Spirit of God to withdraw his witnessing presence, and to suspend his testimony. 2. They will cause him to withdraw his comforting presence, that thou shalt not have those joys that thou wast use to find when thou wast more careful to watch against secret sins. 3. They will cause him to withdraw his ⟨p. 228⟩quickening presence, that thy heart will be left more dead, and more dull, and thy affections will be more flat and cold. 4. They will cause him to withdraw his Assisting presence; that thou shalt not be so able to perform duty, to resist temptation, to bear affliction. Thus secret sins will make you great losers by grieving and quenching the Spirit of God.

1. Secret sins will cause the Spirit of God to withdraw his witnessing presence, and to suspend his testimony. 2. They will cause him to withdraw his comforting presence, that thou shalt not have those joyes that thou wast use to find when thou wast more careful to watch against secret sins. 3. They will cause him to withdraw his ⟨p. 228⟩quickning presence, that thy heart will be left more dead, and more dull, and thy affections will be more flat and cold. 4. They will cause him to withdraw his Assisting presence; that thou shalt not be so able to perform duty, to resist temptation, to bear affliction. Thus secret sins will make you great losers by gr•eving and quenching the Spirit of God.

¹Secret sins will exceedingly disturb the peace of thy Conscience, They will make great gashes in thy soul; they will wound surely, they will wound s•ely and deeply; They may make thee go with a sorrowful heart unto thy grave; They may cost thee many a groan, and sigh and tear, many a prayer and strong cry to God before thy peace may be restored, and thy Conscience healed, and thy heart bound up. They may be the breaking of thy bones, and thy heart too, that thou mayst think God is thine enemy.